Halo: Betrayal
by Exodus Rising
Summary: Set three months after the events of Halo 4, the last of the Spartan II's have gone AWOL, pursuing a top secret mission. The Office of Naval Intelligence constructs a new squad comprised of the best in a new line of Spartans to hunt them down. As a dark new threat fast approaches, who can Blue Team trust? What dark motives does ONI hold? [FIRST STORY]
1. Chapter One

**Chapter** **1:** **Buck**

 **October** **29, 2557**

 **0539 hours**

 **Aboard the UNSC** **Midnight Walk en route to the UNSC Infinity**

It was a sight that you would see more and more often in the colonies. Faces etched with age, worry, fear, hope but worst of all, memories. All those painful memories. That was all you could really call them. Memories. Memories of the Great War. Whether it be a soldier, civilian, adult or child, every single human wore the same weary look, from Earth to Sansar and back again. Those who were left were the survivors, no single doubt about that. Indeed, a face could tell you a thousand stories. Maybe that was why he loved the armour so much.

Edward Buck stood in front of his locker, helmet in his hands, staring into the visor. He was a man that had seen more of his fair share in the Great War. Harvest, Reach, he'd seen most of the outer colonies destroyed by the Covenant, even participating in the First Battle of Earth. He smirked, _that's what they're calling it. The first battle. As if all the battles that came before it didn't mean shit. You tell that to the families left out there and I'd be willing to bet they wouldn't like it. Maybe that's why Mickey did what he did.._ Buck shook his head. Mickey...of all the people in Alpha Nine, he shouldn't have been surprised that Mickey would turn to the Insurrectionists. And the Rookie...Buck personally attributed the soldier's death to his own shortcomings as a leader. _Shoulda seen it coming, Buck...shoulda known..._ Of course, there was no Alpha Nine anymore. With Dutch retired, the Rookie dead and Mickey locked up, all that was left was Romeo, Veronica and himself.

(Veronica) a small smile appeared on his lips as he pulled a small photo from his breast pocket. It was of them together on holiday, taken the year before on Trinity. Her sandy blonde hair had shimmered in the sunlight, her eyes glinting brightly, her smile broad. She looked happy... Of course, she was the one to convince Buck to join the Spartan IV's, with the help of Jun of course. He remembered the night well.

* * *

 **Over a year ago**

 **The Planet Trinity, The Scorpio System**

A dark, star filled night, a quiet bar devoid of all life save Buck and a few others. The quietness was broken as a tan skinned man entered. Combat boots laced tight indicated he was a military man, although his build suggested he was more of a tank than a soldier. He was dressed in suit pants and a white button up shirt with an olive green tie hanging loosely around his neck, though under it all, one could clearly see bulging muscles bigger than any human could possibly possess. His height was also something that Buck later made a note of. The man was over 6 foot 7, impossibly tall. Throughout all of that though, the thing that stood out the most was the tattoo branded against the side of his head. A fist clutching at three arrows. He sat next to Buck, the seat buckling slightly under his weight as a slightly spooked bartender approached him.

"I'll have whatever he's having" the man said, indicating at Buck. Once the bartender walked away, he turned to Buck "have you reconsidered our offer?"

Buck swirled his beer in his glass, looking at the mans face "You know, Jun, you really do have a knack for just turning up randomly in the middle of nowhere with some way to bother me. This part of your training or something?"

Jun laughed "if you want to blame someone though, blame Osman and, I guess to an extent, Veronica. After all, they're the spooks, I'm just the hired help. I didn't want to gate crash your time off but you know how they are..."

Now, Buck turned to Jun, giving him his full attention "I have been thinking about it. And I've spoken to Veronica about it. I hadn't exactly expected this, though your little spiel on ONI wanting the best of the best, the most experienced, the most knowledgable yada yada yada, it makes sense. You want to create the perfect soldiers who already have it all sorted out up here-" he tapped his head "and then make them better. Just like every Spartan program before."

Jun listened carefully as Buck talked, his eyes glued to the ODST "fact of the matter is, I don't do this without my squad. Romeo, Dutch, Mickey.." He nearly said the Rookie but cut himself off before the word could be uttered. His death was still too fresh in Buck's mind "they're either all given the option or I simply won't. After all that we've been through, in New Mombasa and now more recently, I'm not simply going to walk away."

Once Buck was finished, a silence descended over the two soldiers for a few minutes as they sipped their drinks. Osman had warned Jun that this would happen. He at least knew that the distinct possibility was there. He sighed "the offer is going to go out to them on your go. The higher ups decided that if this were the case, your entire squad would be given the option to join the program."

Buck cracked a small smile "good to know ONI is actually listening for once. Of course, they're always listening, just not doing much" Jun laughed at the joke as he paid for his beer then handed Buck a sleek tac pad.

"Once you're back in Sydney, visit section 6. You know where to find them. On the pad is a ton of paper work. You know how the brass like their shit sorted." Jun then held his hand out to shake, which Buck grasped "I'll be seeing you around" Buck nodded in reply as Jun stood, walking out with his hands firmly secured in his pockets.

* * *

Looking back at the event, Buck held no animosity to it. Although he hadn't seen Veronica in almost a year thanks to the augmentations and training that he'd required, his time as a Spartan IV so far was interesting to say the least. He'd been active in the field for three months and had to admit, if he had the augments and skills he had now during the war, things could have gone a lot smoother. _No time for ifs and buts now._ suddenly a loudspeaker dinged overheard, causing Buck to flinch. The voice was metallic, the small ship's AI _"all hands, we are preparing to dock with the UNSC Infinity."_ Buck stuffed the photo back into the pocket and pulled on his helmet, locking it in place. He strode quickly to one of the access hatches on the ship's port side, ignoring the looks that various people gave him. _Perks of being a 6 foot 8 behemoth in this armour, I suppose. Wonder why they never mentioned that in basic._

The hatch opened into a bright expansive room, almost twice the length of the trawler he had arrived on. The helmet's visor auto adjusted to the bright light and polarised within seconds revealing a few details. Despite the huge room, it was nearly devoid of life, save for a few figures standing a couple hundred meters away. The room was also filled with military hardware, pelicans, broadswords, boxes, weaponry and tools. Buck hopped out of the ship, landing on the gun metal grey floor with a solid thump. Several marines began to filter out of the trawler, moving cargo. Many of the boxes had engraved on them the infamous Office of Naval Intelligence Insignia on their outer hulls. This was no ordinary cargo and, Buck thought, _neither am I_. As he approached the figures, his IFF scanner picked them up. The first man, shorter than Buck but at least 6 foot tall, wore the traditional garb of a ship's Captain, his insignias shining on his lapel. The second figure, however, stood around Buck's height, dressed in armour that carried the ONI symbol on his breast pocket. Once Buck was close enough, he snapped to attention. "Spartan Edward Buck, reporting for duty sir."

The Captain smiled warmly, holding a hand out to Buck "at ease, Buck. I'm Captain Lasky, the ship's Captain." Buck shook Lasky's hand as he motioned to the Spartan next to him "this is Spartan Jameson Locke. I believe you know each other"

Locke nodded "good to see you again."

"Likewise" Buck said neutrally.

Lasky spoke again "Osman is already on deck and waiting for us so I'll have to cut the tour short, sorry about that." He began to walk but looked back at Buck "oh and, welcome to Infinity."

* * *

 **Editor's Note:**

 **Hope you enjoyed Chapter 1. Leave a rating as well as any feedback that you have on the story (this is my first one so try not to be too brutal xD). I'll try to post a new chapter as often as I can.**


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter 2: Ghosts and Echoes**

 **October 29, 2557**

 **0618 hours**

 **Asteroid Belt, Urs System**

"On your left!"

The voice was loud through his comms as he rolled backwards, the sizzling swish of an Energy Sword swiftly cutting through the space that he'd occupied only moments earlier. He had rolled into a crouched position, swiftly drawing his M6S Magnum from the magnetic field on his hip. He expertly unloaded the clip into the Elite's chest, its energy shields flaring but holding. The fire briefly stunned the alien and the Spartan capitalised on the distraction, dropping the sidearm and quickly moved forward, fast as lightning. He grabbed at the outstretched arm of the Elite, spinning as he yanked himself up, expertly burying his elbow into the aggressor's stomach. Above his shoulder, a choked strangle came, with it a spurt of purple blood, all expelled out between the four jawed alien mouth. Finally, with a deft movement, the man tore the Energy Sword the Elite's vice like grip and spun, burying the blade through the Elite's stomach. The air was filled with the smell of sizzling meat as the blade seared its skin. The man deactivated the blade, letting the limp body fall.

"Chief you good?"

The Master Chief tossed the dead Energy Sword hilt to the side and turned to his team, wiping an armoured hand across the golden visor, splattered with the purple blood of the Elite.

"We're good, Fred. Set your trackers. They know we're here now"

"Never a dull moment." Fred remarked, knocking the shoulder of his Mark VII Gen 2 Centurion armour against the Chief's, pulling the bolt back and discarding the magazine of his M392 Designated Marksman Rifle. Another Spartan jogged out of a darkened hallway, the visor of her EVA helmet shining as the low light hit it.

"We've got a lot of armour between us and the artefact. Hunters, a few Spec Ops Elites, even a Huragok. Whatever that artefact is, they don't want us to get a hold of it."

The Chief nodded. _Kelly...didn't even see her move...she was always the fastest of us._ "It'll be tough to get through, even for us. But we'll be able to get through. Linda, any ideas?"

A figure dropped from the roof, silent even upon landing, cradled in her arms a silenced SRS 99-S5 Anti-Material Sniper Rifle which she'd lovingly adorned with many different accessories. She looked over at the Chief, the advanced optics of her helmet reminiscent of some kind of bug. She nodded once and began speaking "there's a vent system we can move through, all reinforced steel that should hold the weight of our armour. The noise, however, is going to be the real problem."

At this, Kelly spoke up, throwing her M45D Tactical Shotgun over her shoulder. Chief had almost smiled when he'd first seen it, as she'd lovingly adorned the weapon with paint in the form of a Rabbit. The gun was still as dangerous as ever, just in a lighter shade of death. "We've got a few explosives, Chief. Nothing that'll destroy the research station but enough that it'll distract them. We just need a way to get them inside. That's where I come in."

The Chief considered it. Even from their first training sessions on Reach years before the Covenant were even known, Kelly was shown to be the fastest Spartan. Now, fully augmented and kitted in Mjolnir armour, she was capable of running upwards of 62 miles per hour in bursts. The plan would definitely be effective, though rash and foolhardy, traits that Kelly had always shown.

Fred spoke up, slotting a magazine into his rifle and clambering a round, "We can't rush in there and we can't draw them out. However, we could force them out. Blow a few walls, vent the atmosphere. As long as our armour isn't breached, they'll die when the walls blow. May not even need the vents."

The Chief nodded, not for the first time wishing she were with him. _Cortana..._ He shook his head, snapping himself out of his memories. "Check your suits. If they're not breached, we'll continue with Fred's plan. We have the blueprints, we know where to blow." As an addition, the Chief sent to the three members of his team the blueprints that Linda had obtained from the Infinity the last time they were on board. It was risky but, he'd reasoned at the time, the mission was far more important than the possibility of being caught. _The worst they could have done was capture me...blame it on the fact that I'm an ageing Spartan. A malfunctioning machine..._ He cast his anger aside as the three other Spartans gave him the affirmative. Fred began to pass out breaching charges as they each chose a specific position for which to plant the explosive. The team then proceeded to move to their designated bulkheads, silently in the shadows. Chief moved to his own bulkhead, mere metres from a group of Grunts playing some sort of game with a Plasma Grenade and a UNSC helmet. He pressed the charge onto the cold steel and pressed the primer, which silently activated the charge. The charges were SLAMs, once mining explosives, now demolition charges that exploded outwards against a single point, crumbling rock or, in this case, ripping apart the steel like it were made of paper. Once the SLAM was placed, he moved back to the team's last position.

Fred, Kelly and Linda looked at him. The team, or at least, those three Spartans, worked perfectly in tandem. They were a cohesive unit, though, since being back the Chief wondered where his position in the team really was. The last time he had been a part of this team was the return trip after the events of Reach and Installation 04. They had been working together without the Chief for nearly 5 years, working together. Chief had begun to think he was an outsider now, within this small team, though he would never voice this out loud. _If only Cortana were here...she'd understand_. He was snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of the SLAMs detonating. The thump was deafening, but the real chiller was the sound of nothing. The Chief felt the familiar tug that came with having no gravity and spoke, "Enable Grav Boots."

The Chief activated his own and felt as his boots, which had floated slightly upwards, were pulled down onto the deck. He looked at his team mates who had done the same, and did not even have to utter another word as they drew their weapons. The Master Chief drew his own weapon from his back, an MA5D Assault Rifle, and led the team into the cavernous room. The room was in chaos. What hadn't been nailed down had been yanked into the cold vacuum of space, and whatever didn't suffer that fate was left suspended in the air. Most of the Covenant were yanked out of the room when the walls collapsed, with only a few remnants left to float, most dead, the air stripped from their lungs as their bodies flash froze. The team moved into the centre of the room, towards a glass case. The case was connected to many different devices and computers, diagnostics running across their screens, 3D designs of the object floating within the glass case. The object itself didn't seem all that impressive, a small disc made of the same material as many Forerunner installations, a grey metal which held many properties that had stumped scientists since the end of the war. However, the part that caught the Chief's eye was the sigil etched into its centre. The Forerunner sigil that Cortana had deciphered meant 'Reclaimer'. Fred moved to the console and typed in a command, making the glass case begin to retract. The Chief reached for the object and, as his hand made contact with it, a bright flash illuminated the room.

Suddenly, the Chief stumbled and stood, looking around. Wherever he was, it definitely wasn't the installation. The terrain was rough, a black volcanic rock that was hard to manoeuvre across. The sky was a dark blue, shadowy clouds covering the sky. As the Chief looked around, he noticed that his squad was absent. He activated his comms as dread began to settle over him like a shroud.

"Fred, Linda, Kelly, do you copy? Blue team, do you copy?"

All he heard was static. He deactivated the comms and took another look around, spotting a form, vaguely humanoid in shape. He began to move towards it, drawing his M6H Magnum and approaching slowly. While humanoid in shape, the Chief didn't trust the shadowy figure. After over 40 years fighting various different enemies, from lowly insurrectionists and corrupt militants, to alien alliances and, just recently, what would be considered one of the Gods of said aliens. The Chief didn't hold much trust in anyone anymore, more because of experience than anything else, although the creepiness and dread he felt in this situation certainly contributed. As he approached, the figure started becoming clearer to him, curiously familiar. And then a voice, destroying the uneasy silence.

"John..."

The Chief moved forward swiftly as the figure became illuminated. She was smiling softly, that knowing, smug smile that was always accompanied by an audacious plan or snarky remark.

"Cortana..." The Chief went to speak but Cortana cut him off, waving her hand.

"I wish we had more time, Chief. The Mantle is open but won't be for long. It is imperative that you access it before it seals or you won't stand a chance against the coming threat. You have three days, John. Seek out the Pallas Guardian at the birthplace of the warrior, the one you once called enemy then ally then friend."

The Chief spoke again, his voice as steady as ever, now within a few feet of her. "I don't understand, what threat? And you, I thought you were dead..."

She closed the distance between the two of them, gently placing a hand on his chest plate. The armour was battle worn, damaged from years of continuous battle. "All will be revealed in time. Just have faith. Use some of that legendary luck. Or have you gone soft since the last time I saw you?" She gave him that sly, knowing grin as she pulled her hand away, walking backwards. Her form started steadily becoming brighter, the Chief raising his arm to cover his eyes. "Good luck, John. Not that you need it." Suddenly another bright flash filled his gaze and he shut his eyes.

He stood for a few seconds before reopening them. He was back on the asteroid, his energy shield beeping before cycling and restarting, the object hot in his left hand, Assault Rifle hanging from his right. He suddenly became aware of his team, now floating around him, all groaning.

"What happened?" Chief asked quietly, pocketing the object. He'd decided not to speak of the visions he'd seen yet, though he wasn't sure if it was even real or not. _Maybe I am a malfunctioning Spartan. But if that really was Cortana, then I need to complete this mission._

Kelly spoke, groaning, "that THING, whatever it is, overcharged your shields, knocked us all back." She reactivated her grav boots, the magnetic field pulling her back down onto the deck. "I am really getting tired of Forerunner technology not doing what the eggheads expect."

Fred nodded in agreement, "what happens, happens. We've got what we need so we should get off this rock." Chief went to respond only to be cut off as plasma fire sliced into the computer equipment behind him. He quickly readied his Assault Rifle, sliding into cover as the rounds melted the titanium around him.

"Contacts! Back of the room!" Linda shouted, crouched behind a small group of boxes. Kelly and Fred stood behind a bulkhead, peeping their heads out to fire at the group of Elites fanning out around the room, the visors of their EVA suits glowing purple in the low light. DMR rounds found a target, Fred's precise fire ripping through the energy shields and armour of the unfortunate Elite. Kelly, meanwhile, ran forward, firing her shotgun at an Elite. The pellets ripped through his armour, splattering gore all over the floor as he dropped. Linda out from her cover, firing her Sniper at a few of the elites at the back of the room with pinpoint accuracy, covering the Chief as he surged forward, bullets spraying from the muzzle of his Assault Rifle. An Elite rushed towards him, swinging an Energy Sword towards him. He deftly dodged it, swinging a monstrous fist onto the side of the Elite's head, caving it in. Once the Elite's were taken care of, the Chief spoke again.

"We've got a new mission, Spartans."

Fred groaned, speaking jokingly, "when are we gonna get a break. I'm coming on 60, you know."

"What do you call the last 5 years?" Chief started jogging back towards the Pelican, the three other Spartans looking at each other, Linda the first to speak again, "did Chief just crack a joke?"

* * *

 **Editor's Note:**

 **Hey guys! First of all, thanks to everyone who read chapter one! I really hadn't expected so many views so its been quite a surprise! Secondly, chapter one has been given a few edits, the main one being fixing some editing mishaps as well as adding breaks and also changing it so that thoughts are all in _Italic._**

 **Now, the second thing I wanted to say is that I've started thinking about maybe creating a series of one-shots from the Halo universe, focusing on the smaller characters, smaller battles or just history behind the bigger characters that has yet to be shown. I'd like to hear from you guys what you'd like to see! Really, any ideas would be greatly appreciated.  
**

 **Lastly, please tell me anything that I can improve on or any advice for a budding young writer such as myself, it would honestly be greatly appreciated! I'm going to aim at getting a new chapter out every Friday, though being in my final year of High School doesn't offer me much free time so I'll do my best! Hope you're enjoying so far!**


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter 3: Chasing Heroes**

 **October 29, 2557**

 **0610 hours**

 **The UNSC Infinity Bridge**

"Right, let's cut to the chase" Lasky said, activating the holo-table. Spartan Jameson Locke stood in the corner of the small room, watching. He knew the mission but highly doubted that any of the Spartans - his Spartans, though they didn't yet know it - would like it. He watched as a figure stepped out of a doorway. She was tall, almost abnormally big, and her figure, whilst thin, was obviously well muscled. Her greying black hair fell neatly over her shoulders, cleanly cut the way an officer should be. Her eyes, however, were what attracted Locke's attention, a deep brown that demanded submission and radiated power. Well, that and the Admiral insignia shining on the lapel of her dress shirt. This woman was quite possibly the most powerful figure in the UNSC, Admiral Osman, director of ONI.

Of course, not many people knew just who Serin Osman really is. What they called a "wash out" of the Spartan II program, one of the trainees who did not make it through the rigorous augmentations that the trainees had to endure. She was taken in by ONI, under the wing of her predecessor, Margaret Parangosky.

Locke stood straight quickly, back straight and saluting "Officer on deck!" Immediately, person in the room snapped to attention. Much of it, Locke had once thought, was out of fear, although for many who actually knew her, it was respect. Osman was a powerful figure who had committed many heroic actions during the war. _No wonder Parangosky had picked her._ And it wasn't just because she was a Spartan initiate either. Osman was a brilliant tactician and worked well as a battlefield commando in Black Ops missions.

"At ease," Osman spoke, a small smile on her lips. The occupants of the room all relaxed, going back to their work at hand. Locke returned to his original position, giving her a quick nod. Lasky looked toward her, then at the five Spartans in the room.

"Man, do I feel very inferior in this room now," he joked weakly, earning a small laugh from Buck. "Well, Admiral, would you like to take the floor?"

She walked to the edge of the holo-table and typed a few things into a keyboard, bringing up a digital rendition of four Spartans, clad in Mjolnir Mark VII Armour. A set of documents appeared next to each behemoth, a service file for each of the Spartans, including videos of each in action, fighting the Covenant in various engagements, spanning nearly 30 years. One of the figures in the room spoke, her accent vaguely Southern American. "Ma'am, why are you showing us Blue Team? I mean..those are Section Zero documents." The woman was only slightly shorter than Locke, also armoured up in the latest iteration of the Mark VII armour. Her face was caramel in colour, with various scars dotting her skin, ebony coloured hair pulled back in a tight pony tail. Written in Braille on the left breastplate was her name, Holly Tenaka.

Osman frowned grimly, "at 0631 hours yesterday morning, Blue Team was declared AWOL"

Another armoured figure spoke, her voice riddled with confusion, "what do you mean, AWOL, ma'am?" This Spartan's complexion was considerably lighter than that of the last Spartan, her light brown hair falling freely behind her, piercing blue eyes studying Osman's face, a look of confusion clouding her features. Written in both Braille and, curiously, Sanghilli, her name, Olympia Vale.

"Blue Team reportedly left their standby position in the early hours of the morning and travelled to an abandoned ONI research base located in an asteroid field in the Urs System. A few sensors have pinged their Stealth Pelican en route toward Sanghelios. We've also garnered reports from a team of operatives on Sanghelios itself and well...let me show you." Osman typed again on the virtual keyboard, bringing up an image of a Forerunner structure, highly similar to the Forerunner Watchers from Requium except that it towered over is surrounds, which included the capital city on this sector of the planet, tagged as Senion. "Now, your mission.."

The tension in the room skyrocketed. Buck, Vale and Tenaka all leant forward expectantly, though Locke himself was still unmoved. Osman's voice, tinged with steely determination, "it pains me to say this but, at the advice of my predecessor," she glanced at Lasky, remembering the disastrous assassination attempt against Catherine Halsey on Requium, not even a month ago, "your mission is to hunt down and capture Blue Team. And if your attempts to bring them back alive fail, then you are authorised to use deadly force. The risk to us that these Spartans represent is simply too high. We don't know their reasoning but from this moment forward, Blue Team is to be considered hostiles."

The silence in the room was deafening as the reality of what they were being asked - no, ordered to do settled in their minds. Even Locke, who had already been briefed, still continued his own mental debate. _They're heroes. They pretty much single handedly saved us during the Great War. Why, suddenly, would they disappear like this? What could be the motive?_ Of course, he wouldn't vocalise his thoughts. He knew his place.

After a few minutes, Vale swallowed and spoke again, "what kit are we utilising for this mission?" Locke couldn't pin down her accent. It definitely had roots from North America but something seemed vaguely alien about it, though he couldn't explain exactly what it was. He made a mental note to read her files after the briefing.

"You've been cleared to use whatever weaponry in order to complete the mission. The armour that you're all wearing is the latest in Mjolnir armour and, as such, carries the latest upgrades and benefits. On top of this, we are giving you access to a new prototype called the ARTEMIS Tracking System. The four of you," Osman looked at Buck, Vale, Tenaka and Locke himself, "will become Fireteam Osiris, led by Locke." Locke nodded at this as she continued, "This mission is quite possibly the most critical that you'll ever participate in. I'm putting my faith in you, Spartans. Don't disappoint me." The thinly veiled threat hung in the air as she exited the room. This was an ONI mission, set by the Commander in Chief herself. Failing it could prove potentially dangerous for all parties involved, especially the Spartans in the room.

Lasky broke the uncomfortably heavy silence quickly, "well, Osiris, Infinity will be on call to assist in any way we can. I'd suggest getting yourselves kitted out and introduced. We're on route to Sanghelios now, should make contact with our ground teams in about four hours." He clapped his hands. Lasky looked uneasy. He knew the Chief better than most, having worked, and saved, by the behemoth on more than one occasion. Locke had read the man's file and seriously doubted that he'd been happy with this decision. Still, Lasky was a Captain. He knew his place. "I'm also sending to your tac pads the necessary files for the mission. That includes the files of each Spartan. I'd try to get familiar with their particular methods if I were you."

A notifier popped up on Locke's tac pad, indicating that he'd acquired the files. He'd make a start on reading them as soon as the meeting was over, not that he was worried. _I've heard all the legends. But we're Spartans. Anything they can do, we can do,_ He mentally scolded himself, _this isn't about proving yourself. This is about the greater good...right?_ He put his own worries about the situation to the side. He needed to focus, to not worry about trivial things such as whether this was a test or not. In the end, they had to complete their mission. Regardless of their own beliefs. Locke shook himself out of his own thoughts as Lasky finished his briefing, "we'll make contact with Sanghelios in 4 hours. Take your time to get ready and do whatever else you Spartans need to do. No doubt, you'll be dropping straight into the action. Good luck. I know this isn't exactly an easy assignment...but it's critical that you complete it. I've got faith in you all."

With that, Lasky left them to their own devices. Buck walked over to the two female Spartans but Locke ignored it, exiting the room, headed straight for the armoury. _Time to get to work._

* * *

 **Editor's Note:**

 **Hey guys! Hope you're enjoying so far! This chapter is a little late, so I apologise for that, I had it done on Friday but unfortunately didn't get a chance to edit until today. As always, leave a comment on anything I could do to improve or just anything you enjoyed. Also, if you have any ideas for some one-shots that I could do, I definitely want to hear from you! I have a few ideas but I want to get a few chapters out with the main story before that happens. But thanks for the reading and I'll be back soon with another chapter, featuring our favourite Spartans, Blue Team!**


	4. Chapter Four

**Chapter 4: Once more unto the breach**

 **October 29, 2558**

 **1730 hours**

 **Outskirts of Sunaion, Vazorka Territory, Sanghelios**

The surface of Sanghelios was exceptionally rough, volcanic rock akin to razor sharp knives stood out at odd edges underfoot, slicing anything stupid enough to traverse the dangerous landscape unprotected. The climate itself bordered on hostile, temperatures exceeding anything on Earth, though it was survivable for the odd human dumb enough to hide here or unlucky enough to be assigned to the planet. After all, this place isn't supposed to be hospitable. After all, it was the home world for the 7ft Sanghilli, a highly militaristic race of honour bound soldiers, the vanguard of the now disbanded Covenant _hope you brought sunblock. And an M45D, just in case_ Fred pondered, his armoured footfalls cracking the rocks underfoot. He shook his head, snapping himself from his thoughts. He was increasingly surprised by the frequency of which his thoughts drifted from the mission. It was happening more and more often, which didn't exactly worry him, simply making him curious as to why? Why now? He secretly connected it with the fact that for the last 5 years of his life, he hadn't been fighting a war, as much as ONI wanted to call it that. Instead he'd been working far closer with civilians and standard military personnel than ever. Of course, he wouldn't voice any of this out loud. Enough of it was insubordinate and part of it was almost crazy. _Or we are just ageing. A lot of time has caught up to us.._

The same couldn't be said for the Chief though. Fred had known him for as long as he could remember. He knew John better than most of the other Spartans, having worked closely with him for most of the war. Something certainly had changed within the man, though Fred knew it wasn't anything close to what Linda, Kelly and himself were experiencing. _He's mourning. In his own way, he's becoming human._ ONI had briefed the Spartans when they'd found Chief floating among the remnants of the Diadact's ship. On everything, including his AI Cortana. The psychoanalysis performed on the Chief spoke of the AI and how her death was affecting John. Fred, of course, had worked with the AI after the destruction of Delta Halo, during OPERATION: FIRST STRIKE and the attack on the Unyielding Hierophant. Cortana was far different to any of the Smart AI that he'd dealt with before, though he wasn't surprised that Chief treated her like a real person. _He was always like this in training. Going against direct orders during exercises to make sure all of us got onto the Pelican. Though later into the war, it didn't seem to affect him when we lost a Spartan...not until Cortana came along and we lost Grace.._ He couldn't help but wonder if that unflinching attitude was all an act. And just how badly the deaths of the team mates affected the man.

Fred was again snapped from his thoughts as the team of Spartans crested the hill. Revealed to them was the giant Sanghilli city of Sunaion, shining in the low light. The structures were similar to many of the other Covenant bases they'd seen during their time, though this one was obviously battle scarred. Whilst many towers gleamed in the light, many others stood smoking, the silvery material ripped open in some places. One could clearly see a Banshee carcass hanging from such a hole, purple blood mixed with luminescent plasma dripping from the crushed cockpit. The Civil War on Sanghelios was in it's final stage, the Covenant remnants pushed back to their final city. The Arbiter's forces were preparing to strike the already weakened city, though for the moment, the remnant forces were holding steady. It wasn't going to be easy to push into the city.

"I somehow don't think we'll be able to fight through the Arbiter's forces. Too many, even for us," Linda commented, staring down at the carcasses of countless Wraiths and Revenants littering the city's outer limits. Fred himself was having similar thoughts but was suddenly struck with an idea.

"Underground tunnel systems. We can move into the city through them, use knives and suppressed weapons once we've surfaced. Just like Sigma Octanus IV," Fred said, bringing up a copy of the orbital scans of the city, taken by ONI within the last week. It was another document they'd 'commandeered' from the Infinity when they'd left. His helmet's computer mapped out a course and he sent it to the three other Spartans.

Fred looked at the Chief expectantly, as did the other two Spartans. For as much as they had changed, not for a single second would the teammates doubt the abilities that the man possessed. He was still the same John, the one who almost singlehandedly saved the galaxy on Delta and Alpha Halo, as well as on the Ark. They'd grown apart from him thanks to the countless years that John had spent drifting in space but still, they couldn't doubt the Chief's ability. That'd be, in and of itself, a sin. Linda offered support to Fred's plan, "the system he's highlighted is ancient. I highly doubt even the Arbiter knows about it."

This was another thing that the other members of Blue Team had learnt of, the Master Chief's work and eventual friendship with the Arbiter. It was incredulous that a man who'd fought 27 years of his life against this threat would be able to work so well with the enemy, though the he couldn't think of the Arbiter like so many other enemies. Everything he'd read about the alien commander shouted leader, a man of honour and discipline. _I doubt Chief feels all that great about what we're about to do. Betraying his friend? I doubt it will be easy.._ Finally, the Chief nodded, "we should go now. It'll be dark by the time we surface, which'll give us enough cover to get through the city relatively unseen. Unless the Arbiter decides to attack tonight, though we should be good."

With that, he started walking. No more words were needed. The three other Spartans started walking, falling into step behind their leader. After about an hour, they reached their entry point. Fred guarded the hatch, DMR light as a feather in his arms as Linda and John popped it open. Kelly dropped through first, Shotgun barrel up, the torch on her under barrel lighting up the gloom. Next came Linda, Magnum tight in her grip. Her own helmet lights brightening the chamber. Finally, Fred and John slid down through the hatch, John hastily pulling it closed as he dropped down. Linda took point, attaching the suppressors to her weapons as she moved slowly. Next was John, silent as he moved, his Assault Rifle already suppressed. Kelly bumped Fred's shoulder as she started walking, her voice suddenly filling the silence of his helmet. She'd opened up private comms.

"He's changed, hasn't he?"

"Hello to you too, Kelly."

For an armoured behemoth, her laugh was surprisingly light, "hey Fred. He's changed hasn't he?"

Fred rolled his eyes under his helmet but couldn't help to agree, "I was thinking the same thing. He's quiet, more than normal anyway."

"And somehow less personable. Think being frozen for six years has anything to do with it?"

Fred pondered it for a second, "he doesn't exactly have our experience. It's been five years since we got out of the Shield World. We've worked far more closely with people than he has. Maybe we're the ones who've changed."

Kelly made a snorting noise, "I seriously doubt we've changed that much. Though I can't help but think that maybe losing Cortana has somehow affected him more than anyone could have expected. It almost seems like he's mourning. Like how he did when Sam died.."

There was a noticeable twang to her voice at the mention of Sam. The three of them had been close friends and, even with it being almost 30 years since his death, it still wasn't something they liked to ponder on. "Maybe you're right. He worked extremely close to her. I mean, seriously, how can you work closer with anyone when she's literally plugged into your mind. I think though, he's finally figured out that he isn't really all that human. Just like us."

Fred saw the affirmative nod from her direction as she spoke again, "could be possible. I don't think it's going to be all that great for him though. He isn't used to this. I think that's why he had insisted you lead the team."

Fred's laugh was short, more like a bark, "I still can't believe that. Though technically I do outrank him, I'd never take his place."

"Yeah, I know you. Happy to bunk off responsibility," she said, playfulness in her voice.

He couldn't help but smile as the team stopped. The private comms were cut off as Linda spoke, "we're above the street now. From here, it should be a short trek to whatever the hell that thing is." John jumped, grabbing another hatch on the roof, which gave way to his immense bulk, tossing it to the side. Fred quickly screwed on the suppressor to his DMR and Magnum as the others climbed out, being the last to climb through the hole. They'd ended up in a burnt out building, the acrid smell of melted plastic and plasma filling the air. Fred took point, the others filing in behind him as he moved out of the building, looking around him. For a group of 4 armoured, hulking titans, it was surprising that they moved almost silently through the rubble.

Fred poked his head around a corner, spotting the towering figure on a Sanghilli. Commonly referred to as 'Elites' by humanity, the aliens stood at around 7 metres tall, with long arms strong enough to rip limbs from their enemies, legs powerful enough to sprint at an easy 40 miles an hour and armour that made them infinitely more fearsome. However, it was their 4 pronged jaws that struck fear into the minds of the standard infantrymen of the UNSC. Their segmented jaws were the reason for another nickname coined by the marines, 'Hinge Heads.' Elites were the vanguard of the Covenant, a founding member along with the Prophets, until their betrayal during the final months of the war, where they were demoted, replaced with the Brutes, an event they called the Great Schism. Most of the Elites entered into an uneasy alliance with Humanity, eventually assisting them in beating what was left of the Covenant into a ceasefire. Most Elites departed when the Covenant disbanded but many, like the faction that the Arbiter was locked in combat with, still believed in the lie that was the Great Journey, leading to the Civil War.

This particular Elite was armoured with cobalt armour, a set with weaker shields, indicating he was merely a grunt. Fred held an armoured digit to his mouth plate, throwing the DMR over his shoulder and drawing his combat knife. He slowly eased himself around the corner towards the Elite, who was busy trying to pull something from between two teeth on his lower left jaw. Fred moved closer slowly, the blade in his hand. Once he was close enough, with the cool grace that only a Spartan could show, he grabbed the Elite by the front of his helmet and slammed the blade hard into the back of it's neck, severing the alien's spinal cord. He ripped the knife out quickly, the dark purple blood seeping from the wound as he moved and slit the Elite's throat for good measure. This tactic offered up a dirty spray of blood, covering the wall to their left as Fred pulled the limp body down into the rubble. The Elite was dead before it even knew what had hit him. Fred signalled for the team to move up and they continued along, approaching the towering Forerunner figure in the distance.

At the very edge of the Forerunner structure, stood at least a dozen Elites, staring up at it. This had to be some sorta sign, or at least, they would think that anyway. _Funny how anything can be interpreted as a sign if you're part of a religious cult_ , Fred thought, as he skirted around the group, moving into position behind a damaged wall, the structure smoking, creating an acrid smell into the air. Though his filters scrubbed most of it, Fred still could detect a hint of the stench. It reminded him of many fights during the war. It was the same smell that he'd tasted on Sigma Octanus IV. It was the same as on Reach. He couldn't help but feel a small pang of guilt and sadness every time he thought of that planet. Despite the Spartans best efforts, they simply couldn't save the planet. They were outnumbered and outgunned, though they had definitely made a difference in helping to evacuate as many civilians as they could off the planet as possible. So many of the Spartans though, had died in the fighting. Barely a handful of them had managed to escape the planet. Fred shook his head. Again, he was falling into his own thoughts. _This shouldn't be happening.._ Fred placed the barrel of his DMR through a gap in the wall, sighting most of the Elites in the courtyard. He was waiting on Linda's signal.

Finally, in his heads up display, a green light blinked once in his visor, the signal to open fire. Fred adjusted his aim onto an Elite and began firing, the stock of the gun bouncing into his shoulder blade as the 7.62mm rounds covered the distance between him and the Elite, dropping him almost instantly. At the moment that he began to fire, at strategic points around the courtyard, the rest of the team had begun to fire, Linda's Sniper Rifle making a muffled crack each time a round left the barrel, Kelly's Magnum, adjourned with a miniature stock and telescopic sight, firing silently into the closest elite, whilst Chief's Assault Rifle pumped rounds down range, peppering any unlucky aliens caught in the crossfire. In a matter of seconds, the group of Elites were reduced to a heap of mincemeat. Fred pulled the receiver back on his DMR and removed its empty magazine, discarding it in the rubble and replacing it with a new one. He moved out of cover and dropped down into the courtyard, as the three other Spartans did the same. The ground was slick with the purple blood of the slain aliens, the liquid pouring from their fatal wounds and cascading into pools.

Fred stepped around them and converged with the three other members of Blue Team, who were staring into the sky at the colossal Forerunner structure. Fred looked upwards to where they were looking, about to speak. What he saw silenced him, the words dying on his tongue. The structure had begun to levitate and, what seemed for some reason even stranger, its eyes began to glow a bright luminescent blue. _What the...?_ Then, suddenly groups of teleportation nodes dotted the courtyard. The Spartans immediately moved, guns raised and pressing their backs against each other. The Chief began to speak, "targets around us, take them out-"

A booming voice filled the air as a figure appeared into the centre of the courtyard in front of the team, "I am the Warden Eternal. We are not your enemies, Master Chief." Multiple Forerunner Soldiers appeared in front of Fred. He raised his gun but the Chief placed a hand on the barrel, angling it down.

"John, what are you doing?" Linda said, her Sniper a Rifle trained on the Warden.

The Chief was silent as the Warden landed softly in front of the team. The Warden was humanoid in form but fitting to the Forerunner design, made of the same silver alloy with glowing orange innards pulsating throughout its body. Its voice sounded vaguely metallic as it spoke again, filling Fred's ears somehow, despite the fact that their comms were not active, "you were chosen by the Librarian, the culmination of a millennia worth of planning. You are ready to obtain the Mantle, as you were originally destined to. I shall be your custodian. It is yours to find, but the Librarian has tasked us with assisting you." Fred was understandably speechless. This thing spoke only to the Chief, as if the others weren't even there, with information that didn't even make sense, _Mantle? Librarian? What the hell does all that mean?_

"How do I know that I can trust you?" The Chief's voice sounded guarded, suspicion coursing through his voice. It was understandable. The last time he'd trusted a Forerunner construct, he ended up freeing the Diadact. The Warden observed the Chief, its eyes, or whatever passed for eyes, finally moving to study the team, as if this were the first time he had noticed him.

"The beliefs that the Diadact held are not shared by all Forerunners or their constructs. The Life Workers shared the Librarian's belief that one day, your race was destined to take on the Mantle. I was once a Life Worker. When the Flood threatened to destroy our galaxy, I assisted the Librarian in cataloging many different alien races, until the Flood overpowered me. In my final moments, the Librarian saved my essence and created what I am now. I owe my existence and allegiance to her. I am not a threat to you," the Warden levitated just off the ground as it spoke. The Chief, Fred knew, had listened closely. He was assessing the situation.

Finally, the Chief spoke, lowering his weapon, "I really hope I'm not making a mistake by trusting you, Warden."

* * *

 **Editor's Note:**

 **Hey guys! Firstly, I'm really sorry this is again late. I've been having issues with my computer recently so I've had issues with getting stuff to work. But I'm gonna keep getting chapters out as often as I can!. I've got some ideas for some one shots from the Halo universe but I'll hold out to get a few more chapters out on the main story. I do hope you enjoy this chapter, which is extra long, as you can see. Chapter 5 will star a fan favourite so check in next week for that! Bye!**


	5. Chapter Five

**Chapter 5: Angels and Demons**

 **1650 hours**

 **The hanger of the Unflinching Resolve, in low orbit over Kalryos region**

The Unflinching Resolve was a ship that had seen many battles during the Human-Covenant War. Originally built in 2531, the ship had fought in almost every major battle against humanity. It was part of the original battle cluster that attacked Sigma Octanus IV, Reach, Trinity, and the Jovian Moons. After their betrayal at the hands of the Prophet of Truth, the Sanghilli who piloted the ship attacked Brute controlled corvettes around the Installation 05. During the battle, through brilliant tactical manoeuvres, they managed to cripple three ships before being badly damaged. It managed to escape the conflict before the Flood entered the fray. The ship eventually made it's way back to Sanghelios, where the Shipmaster, a battle worn Elite named Voras 'Ramamee, met with the Arbiter. Voras and his ship would be invaluable in the Civil War effort, fighting for the Arbiter's cause. Now, at the end, it was ready to strike the Remnant forces.

The Arbiter stood in the hanger, readying his Lich, when Fireteam Osiris, along with Captain Lasky, approached. He'd worked with Lasky on many occasions over the course of the last few years as the Civil War raged on. Often, the Arbiter wondered why the UNSC were so insistent to assist in this war. He had no doubt that it was a strategic move of some sort. Humanity had proven time and again that their goals were never so selfless, _if there is no benefit from a tactical move then they will never commit to it. Of course, that is why, now, they call to join at the final hour. There is always a reason._ Regardless, the Arbiter turned to Lasky as if he were an old friend.

"It's been too long, Arbiter. I see you've been busy," Lasky's tone was friendly, though he could see tension in the man's eyes. The Spartans behind him, who had stopped a few feet earlier, looked much the same, shifting from one foot to another or fidgeting with their weapons. The Arbiter recognised one of the super soldiers, Locke, _ONI have sent their lapdog it seems. Curious..._

"It has been. We are on the edge of victory. We plan to strike tonight and end this wretched business. Jul M'dama will see his end very soon."

Lasky smiled slightly, "good to know. I assume you've probably figured by now I'm not here to simply watch the festivities."

The Arbiter nodded, "this ship's crew is not accustomed to seeing or communicating with your kind. We'll talk on the Lich."

Lasky nodded and walked back to the Spartans, exchanging a brief word. The Arbiter was already boarding the Lich. The small ship was made of the same material as a majority of the ships, an extremely strong alloy that allowed it to take more than a few tank rounds. Of course, the Arbiter had mused, nobody actually knew what it was and how it worked. It was just Forerunner technology that the Prophets had adapted. In fact, almost all the technology at the disposal of the Covenant was the same, Forerunner technology that they had managed to adapt to their commands. This particular Lich, unlike the standard luminescent pink that they usually were, glowed a deep emerald green as rays of sunlight hit the hull.

The Arbiter stepped onto the drop ship and walked towards the holo table. Rays of sunlight bathed the ship thanks to the hangers' open doors. He activated the table, a map of the planet shimmering into existence. Lasky and the Spartans stepped inside and walked over to the table. He could tell just by their body language that the Spartans were studying the table with laser like focus, taking in every detail.

Lasky cleared his throat, "so...I guess it's time I explain why we're here." The Arbiter nodded and Lasky continued, "yesterday morning, Master Chief and his team, designate Blue Team, we're declared AWOL after abandoning their guard detail. They were tracked to this system, where we lost them. Earlier this morning, they were picked up again by our drones and tracked to Sanghelios. We believe they've moved into the city, looking for something. Fireteam Osiris here has been tasked with bagging and tagging Blue Team."

The Arbiter was obviously shocked. The fact that of all people, the Master Chief would disobey orders seemed completely wrong to him. _This cannot be true. He is a soldier, like me. To disobey direct orders...either he has gone crazy or..._ "could this be linked with the appearance of the Guardian?"

All four Spartans were staring at him. One spoke, a female, "What exactly is a Guardian?" Her accent seemed familiar to him, though he could not deduce why.

"This is a Guardian," the Arbiter zoomed in on the large, bird like figure on the holo table, "the Prophets, thousands of years ago, found mentions of a Guardian or multiple Guardians on Forerunner installations. Later, about 900 years ago, a Sanghilli excavation team unearthed the broken remains of a Guardian whilst looking for Forerunner relics. The excavation team must have activated something for they were disintegrated by some weaponry. Subsequent teams were also disintegrated so in the end, the Prophets at the time marked its location then abandoned it."

"Could it be linked?" Lasky murmured quietly, looking downward. The Arbiter found the man fascinating. He was a tactical genius, thanks to his years at the OCS, though it was more interesting to see the man's driving force. On a chain hanging around his chest hung three sets of dog tags as well as a broken shard of Hunter armour. _He is driven by the deaths of his comrades. A valiant reason to push. I wonder who pushed him to this destiny_ the Arbiter thought as Lasky looked at him, "we'd awfully appreciate it if you'd be able to give these Spartans a ride into the city when you launch your attack."

The Arbiter considered it for a few seconds then nodded, "we fly out in a half an hour. Be ready for then." The four Spartans nodded and began to check their kits. Lasky looked at the Arbiter with a small smile.

"It's good to see that this Civil War is nearly at it's end. Then your lives can finally find some sort of normalcy," he said, playing with the tags around his neck. It was funny to the Arbiter that he could think like that. Sanghilli life was always like this. They were born to fight. Even before the Covenant, the Sanghilli society consisted of clans fighting for dominance in a region. But that had been millennia ago. The Sanghilli now would have to relearn everything, create their society anew. And of course, if he survived this battle, this would be the Arbiter's mission.

These things, however, did not yet matter. The Arbiter merely nodded in agreement as Lasky held his hand out to him. He grasped the man's hand lightly, shaking it as Lasky spoke again, "I'd better get back to my ship. If there is anything we can do during this battle, don't hesitate to ask. We'll be on station." With that, Captain Lasky walked back out of the Lich towards his own drop ship.

The Arbiter spoke then to the Spartans, "do not leave this drop ship. Your presence already spooked the Unflinching Resolve's crew. Your team leader, I would also like to speak with."

Locke stepped forward and the Arbiter indicated to him to follow. The two stepped into another room, with another holo table showing the damaged city. The Spartan began to speak, "my name is Spartan Jameson Locke-" only to be cut off the Arbiter, raising his hand.

"I know who you are." The Arbiter's voice was full of contempt. The Master Chief was being hunted. It made no sense to him. No matter the mission, a soldier needed to complete it. The Master Chief himself had taught him that. "You say you are a Spartan, but now you hunt the Master Chief, the best of your clan."

Locke removed his helmet. His gaze was impassive. "You should know, Arbiter, that soldiers like us, we do our duty no matter the cause, the cost or the people associated. No matter what, we do our duty. Because if we don't, who will? The Master Chief and his team made their decision. They disobeyed direct orders. Maybe they are war heroes, but the fact is, we don't need them anymore. They're failing. It's up to us to replace them." Locke's tone had steadily gotten tougher. The Arbiter realised something that he didn't. Maybe Locke believed he was doing his duty. But it was just as much about duty as proving himself and that of his Spartans.

The Arbiter finally looked up at Locke. "Go back to your team. We leave soon." Locke nodded, pulling his helmet on and moving back to the other compartment, leaving the Arbiter standing over the holographic creation of the city. _There will be two wars fought today...blood will be spilled...  
_

* * *

 **1800 Hours**

Violent fighting occurred around the city's limits for almost an hour before the Arbiter's forces broke through the Covenant Remnant ranks. The Arbiter's Lich roared into action then, flying into the city. The time they had spent waiting was agonising but the Arbiter knew that battles like this had many elements of surprise, many twists and turns. Rarely would they go exactly to plan. The Lich scooped in low, stopping at a hover a few kilometres from the Guardian. The Arbiter looked over at Locke and nodded, "good luck, Spartan Locke. You'll need it."

The Spartan nodded in return and barked an order, "let's go Fireteam Osiris!" The four Spartans dropped from the Lich as it tore away, towards new coordinates, the suspected command centre for the Remnant leader, Jul M'dama. The Lich screamed through the city, avoiding the towering skyscrapers by a hairs breadth. Around the Arbiter, silent Sanghilli checked their weapons. Their armour was a pearlescent black, indicating their status as the Vanguard of their warrior kind, hand picked by the Arbiter. Only two Sanghilli on the ship did not wear the black armour, the Arbiter and the Shipmaster, Voras 'Ramamee.

The Shipmaster stood at the Arbiter's side, his white and purple armour glowing in the low artificial light. He was quite possibly the most fearsome soldier that the Arbiter had ever met. He was physically imposing even to his own race, standing at almost 7'5" and covered with battle scars on every piece of exposed flesh. His keen eyes showed wisdom and age, hardened from years of warfare and conquest. Voras watched as the ground approached, "two squads have already attacked the building. Jul is inside the building and is fighting. There won't be an escape for him. Not again."

The Arbiter nodded in response as the Lich flew towards the ground. The squad of Sanghilli warriors stood then, holding their weaponry as the Lich slowed to a hover. The Arbiter and Voras jumped, closely followed by the squad. The Arbiter hit the ground heavily, lighting his Energy Sword, shouting a battle cry, "for the Swords of Sanghelios!" The cry was echoed by the warriors behind him and in the ruins around him. The area they had dropped into was roughly square in shape with once majestic statues littering the courtyard. Those statues were shattered and littered with needler rounds, the ground itself melted from plasma fire. Sanghilli soldiers used the broken buildings around the square to rain fire down on the building at the far side of the square, an old temple devoted to the teachings of the Prophets. The Arbiter would have appreciated the irony of such building being used to stage a war, had he not been a participant of said war.

The squad fanned out behind him as the hum of plasma fire filled his ears. Shots were being exchanged between Sanghilli at the doors of the temple and those in the square. The Arbiter moved forward swiftly into the square, taking cover behind the head of a broken statue. His Energy Sword buzzed in his hand, impractical at best in the situation he was in. He spotted a Carbine dropped at the edge of the plaza and retracted his Sword, slipping the hilt onto the magnetic holster on his hip. His muscles tensed as he readied himself to make the sprint. An explosion echoed throughout the plaza, most likely a Sticky Grenade, giving the Arbiter a chance to make his sprint. He rocketed out of his cover and dove for the Carbine, located behind the body of another statue. Needle rounds and Carbine shots flew around him, one shot making contact and flaring his energy shielding as he combat rolled into the cover and lifted the matte purple rifle.

His shield indicator blinked a few times then refilled slowly. The Arbiter smiled beneath his helm, _their shots are inaccurate. By now the men will be in position._ The Arbiter popped his head up and fired a few times, drawing their fire. He dropped back down again, eying a shimmering figure move across the battlefield and into cover behind one of the Remnant gunmen. The Arbiter popped his head slightly over cover, watching. He watched as, in sync, they were all executed. One soldier was pierced through the back, another through the skull. Another was decapitated cleanly, whilst three more were sliced in half. In less than a second, every tango in the plaza was cleanly executed. The Arbiter could hear the sound of sizzling flesh from where he stood, throwing the newly acquired Carbine onto his magnetic back holster. He waited for a few minutes until the squad of Sanghilli swept the building. Finally they exited, carrying the form of another Sanghilli. On one chest section, a white, vaguely human handprint with the symbol of the Diadact in its centre.

The figure was deposited in front of the Arbiter, coughing as he hit the cracked rock. The Arbiter pulled his Energy Sword from his hip and lighted it, throwing another sword hilt towards the figure, "Jul M'dama. Your forces are defeated. You've lost."

The warrior stood shakily, picking up the sword hilt. He stood slightly taller than the Arbiter, purple blood covering one side of his face thanks to a gash above his right eye. Various battle marks covered the rest of his flesh. When he spoke, his voice was rough but full of defiance, "ah, the famous Arbiter, Thel 'Vadam. You think that today is your victory? That now, you're allowed free reign over this planet and these people? You are blinded by your confidence."

The Arbiter didn't back down, eying Jul harshly, "and you are blinded by your own devotion. The Prophets lied to us. There is no Great Journey. The Great Journey is a lie."

Jul snarled in response, lighting his Energy Sword, "blind devotion? You worship the human filth as if they are gods!"

"Humanity is a powerful ally. Without them, we would all be dead. After the Prophets betrayal, that would be our only path. Not to transcendence, but to death," the Arbiter replied, beginning to circle.

Jul followed, circling slowly, his teeth bared, "humans are treacherous creatures. They will betray us. The Forerunner, Diadact, showed me his secrets. Humanity will lead us to extinction. You are a blind sheep."

"The Diadact is dead. The Forerunners are dead. The Covenant is dead. If anyone is a blind sheep, it is you."

Jul snarled and rushed forward, Energy Sword at the ready. The Arbiter moved a second after. Their blades clashed, blue sparks flying. The Arbiter stepped around him, trying to drag the sword across his chest. Jul parried this, pushing back with his own sword and flicking the Arbiter's away. The Arbiter spun, the tip of his blade missing Jul's stomach by centimetres as he moved backwards. Jul moved forward, swinging his sword as the Arbiter blocked, their dance of death continuing with renewed vigor. Their blades clashed again and again. Arbiter's strikes were consistent and smooth, whilst Jul's became increasingly angry and desperate. Finally, the Arbiter spotted an opening and slid past, the edge of his sword slicing into Jul's side. The warrior roared in pain and swung wildly backwards. The sizzling blade would have taken the Arbiter's head off, had he been standing. Unfortunately he ducked, just in time to avoid it and surged upwards with his sword, impaling Jul and lifting him off the ground. Jul gurgled in pain as the Arbiter stared at his face. Blood poured from his mouth. Finally the Arbiter threw him to the side, deactivating his Energy Sword. Jul smashed into the ground, his cries of pain dimming.

The Arbiter watched as his men stepped out of the rubble. One looked to the sky and roared, his four jaws splitting apart. More followed suit, declaring their victory to the sky. The Arbiter smiled then heard the scraping over rocks. He turned around and was greeted by a standing Jul, his Energy Sword clutched in one hand. Blood dripped from his mouth, the purple liquid pooling on the ground beneath his feet.

Jul made to step forward when suddenly he was hit in the back of the head by a sizzling projectile. The green plasma burnt through his armour and then through the base of his skull. His eyes rolled as he fell to the floor once more. And there, at the steps of the Temple, stood a small human woman, clothed in white fatigues. Where one arm should have been, only blood soaked material remained. Her other arm however, remained untouched, in her outstretched hand a Plasma Pistol venting steam. Her grey hair fluttered in the small wind, her blue eyes burning intensely.

In an instant, guns were raised by the Arbiter's forces, pointed directly at the human woman. The Arbiter barked an order, his voice echoing in the silence of the square, "at ease, soldiers!" He slowly approached the human, who tossed the Plasma Pistol to the side like a broken toy.

"That bastard.." The woman muttered quietly.

The Arbiter spoke to her in English, curious as to how in hell this woman had gotten here, "who are you?"

The woman wiped her hands down her fatigues, flattening the material, "my name is Dr Catherine Elizabeth Halsey. I think it's safe to assume that you are the Arbiter, based on what seems to be more traditional power armour in a colour pallet that does not connect to the Sanghilli military hierarchy. That means you would be the legendary warrior who fought alongside the Master Chief on earth. It is an honour to meet you."

Halsey spoke quickly, which the Arbiter struggled to register, though he'd managed to understand the gist of it, "the Master Chief is a great man. It was an honour to fight alongside him. Though sadly that no longer seems to be the case."

Halsey arched her head to the side, a million questions forming on her lips, though she seemed to settle for one, "what do you mean?"

"The Master Chief and his team are AWOL. Captain Lasky brought a team of Spartans here to track them down," the Arbiter said quietly. His men in the square were watching him closely. Especially after what Jul spoke of. They weren't exactly suspicious, but he could see doubt forming in their minds.

Halsey went slightly pale, "AWOL..? Could it even be possible? Unless-"

She wasn't able to finish her thought as a huge boom echoed throughout the city. A wave of energy radiated throughout the sky. The Arbiter's Lich was hit squarely by it as it flew in to land, instead destabilising it and throwing it into a building. The Arbiter pulled Halsey down, covering her with his own body as debris rained down. Several of the Arbiter's men were hit, many of them suffering minor injuries, though several were hit by large pieces of metal, breaking bones. The Arbiter unfurled himself and stood straight, his Energy Sword lighting in his hand.

He looked out towards the Guardian. The Guardian began to hover away, moving quickly from the city. He watched as the enormous structure rocketed off the face of the planet, leaving him gobsmacked. Halsey was equally surprised and shook the Arbiter's arm, "I need to get to the Infinity and speak with Captain Lasky."

The Arbiter hesitated for a second, "okay..." He activated his communicator "I need two Lichs for exfil from the Temple of the Prophets." He turned to Halsey "we'll go straight to the Infinity. I am sure that Lasky will want to see you safely returned."

He looked into the sky. Something serious was going on…more than just this civil war. _Whatever it is we need to be ready…ready for the coming storm…_

* * *

 **Editor's Note:**

 **Hey Guys! Long time, no update! I sincerely apologise for it. I've had the chapter written for about a month now but personal life and school has been in the way of getting to edit it. I've got my finals exams soon so I'm probably gonna be quite limited in my ability to post chapters for just a month or so more. I'll endeavour to get more chapters out though. I do hope you are enjoying it. On a slightly better note, soon as my exams are done, I'll be starting on two new projects! Firstly, the long awaited Halo One-Shots and even better, an original Batman story! So look forward to it guys!**


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